Author's Note: Major edits to chapter 2. I believe it caused so much confusion. :P
Lastly, to his their own. Characters may be OOC. If you don't like, leave. If you do, I find a kindred spirit!
Disclaimer: You know what I mean.
I Promise
"Tell me again,
how we first met."
He threaded his fingers through the silky strands of her hair. He had always marveled at the feel of it in his hands, was always mesmerized by the color of dark ebony against her pale skin, and the color of her eyes, one of the many things that made her unlike any other. A pang of regret immediately settled in the lining of his stomach, as her eyes that held the impossible blue of the sky illuminated the darkness that was slowly consuming his world.
He would drown in them, willingly.
"It was raining when I met you," she whispered, the arrows riddled on her blood-soaked back draining her strength. "And our first kiss tasted like tears."
She bent down and feathered her lips across his, where her hand had come to rest at the place where the blade of the sword had jutted on his chest, and he watched in reverence as her beautiful face marred itself with a desperate look. She inhaled sharply. "To see you like this...
it crushes me,
every time."
Was he too selfish to have wanted such an emotion from her?
His fingers caught the familiar amber-gold ribbon that was on laced on her hair, constantly, laced on her hair. "Were you always so affectionate?"
"Ie... it was you who taught me," very gently she rested her head against his. She allowed herself a little smile. "and you were quite... aggressive."
He frowned as a familiar pain came shooting in his consciousness, and she re positioned herself, her grip tightening in concern when he winced. His hand now traveled to her pale, dirtied cheeks. He watched her gaze flicking vermilion from the fire: the fire from the battle that had died down, leaving only silence that only the aftermath of war and death could have rendered. As he admired the colors playing on her poly chromatic eyes, he held his breath.
It had always amazed him, fascinated him.
She had fascinated him.
"In those ninety-seven lifetimes, I have never met you under the rain,
I have never kissed you for the first time while you were crying..." his voice was now as soft as a whisper, the pang of regret, and the knowledge of his own flickering life twisting his gut.
"And I have only done nothing but hurt you...
in those ninety-seven lifetimes."
She only smiled at him in answer, wistful, and his heart fluttered, for in all those lifetimes he had only but broke her yet she still looked at him the same way: with those longing, hungry eyes, burning through his soul, slowly melting every barrier he had created.
"All in His timing," she murmured. She probably noticed his breathing had slowed down, for the beating of her heart hammered faster in his ears. In a rush of adrenaline he clung to her, her familiar curves, the scent of her mixed with blood.
And then the pain seared through him.
But he did not mind,
He wanted her to know,
he needed her to know:
"Promise me you will find me,
relentless, until I am in your arms again..."
he closed his eyes as he felt her nimble fingers wipe a stray tear from his cheek.
"no matter how stubborn I am, I beg you this time,
I want to spend eternity with you,"
His grip weakened and his vision wavered, but he refused to let her go, not until-
not until...
"Promise me," he pleaded, drowning on the blood that was filling his lungs. Familiar scent of salt invaded his senses, she was about to cry again, just like how he left her, ninety-seven lifetimes past. He would have reached up to wipe her tears away, but he had no strength left. "Kagome, promise me."
"I already did," she bit out, her voice trembling. "I promised... the first time we met,
I made a promise,
and that will never change."
She allowed her tears to fall as he took his last breath from this lifetime, and she watched as his beautiful face passed into a familiar calmness, giving up his soul to her. Cradling his spirit in her free hand, she let out a breath of exhaustion.
She was tired,
so very tired.
But the warmth of his beautiful spirit in her palms spread through her own soul, comforting her own weary strands of life.
"And I promise again, Koi, no matter how many more lifetimes it would take," she whispered,
"For you are worth it all."